19 Jan 12 | Middle East and North Africa
Attempts to circumvent a protest ban in Bahrain’s capital were put to an end with rubber bullets and tear gas yesterday, according to opposition group Al-Wefaq. Small groups of protesters on their way to Ras Rumman, the diplomatic quarter were dispersed by security forces. Protesters were quick to circulate pictures and videos online of what seems to be the standard recipe for a protest in Bahrain: peaceful demonstrators, tear gas and rubber bullets. Authorities banned the protest, under the pretence of “security.”
On Sunday, King Hamad renewed his overtures for “progress and reform”— announcing plans for constitutional reform through the expansion of parliamentary power and limiting the executive branch. Promises for constitutional reform have been met with cynicism and criticism from opposition members, as reports of violence against protesters have continued after the release of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) report. Members of Al-Wefaq claimed that such changes were merely “cosmetic.”
In true bureaucratic fashion, the government also announced on Tuesday that preparations are now being made to implement the “national reconciliation programme” based on the findings of the committee on the findings of the committee appointed by the King to investigate the crackdown on protesters in February and March of last year. No word yet on whether or not officials plan to create a further committee to investigate the preparations for implementing the report.
Despite talk of reconciliation and moving forward, reports of a conflicted reality continue. The Ministry of Interior claimed that they found the dead body of Yousif Ahmed Muwali on 13 January, after he had been missing for five days. Officials declared that drowning was the cause of death, but family members of Muwali claim that he was tortured and imprisoned based on marks on his corpse. They have yet to see his autopsy. Nabeel Rajab, president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, was severely beaten by security forces at a 6 January protest. Members of the international community called for an investigation of the incident, and despite eyewitness reports, Bahraini officials denied beating Rajab, insisting that they actually helped the injured activist to an ambulance. Rajab, internationally renowned for speaking out against human rights violations in Bahrain, has experienced torture in the past.
Bahrain’s current climate is not promising — with reports of regular beatings and detention of peaceful demonstrators, tear gas, and intimidation of human rights defenders, which does not seem to stray far from the systematic torture and violations documented in the BICI report.
The civil unrest will not keep Bahrain from hosting a three-day International Air Show this week. The show is expected to garner 50,000 attendants from across the globe. While corporate jet setters are allowed into Bahrain, members of the human rights community are kept out of the country. Brian Dooley, director of the Human Rights Defenders Programme for Human Rights First, was refused permission to enter Bahrain, and told that such visits should be delayed until March, once the work of the implementation committee would have been completed. Rick Sollom from Physicians for Human Rights was also denied entry, on the account of government officials being under “tremendous work pressure.” While Index was in Bahrain on an international mission with 5 other rights groups in November, government officials reassured us that they were interested in welcoming rights organisations, as long as they followed the procedure for entry, as a part of their commitment to transparency and creating dialogue with the international community. It is disappointing to see that a commitment emphasised in the time around the release of the BICI, in actuality, was an empty promise.
09 Jan 12 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
Prominent human rights activist Nabeel Rajab was severely beaten by security services in Bahrain during a demonstration on Friday. Rajab was beaten on the back, head and neck and was taken by ambulance to Salmaniya hospital after participating in a peaceful protest in Manama. The activist, who is President of The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) and Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) told his lawyer that policemen gathered around him and began to beat him. Rajab has been released from hospital following treatment for concussion, back pain and bruises to his back and face.
08 Dec 11 | Uncategorized
Several Bahraini human rights activists have been sent threatening twitter messages during the past few days. Hostile messages were allegedly to Mohammed Al-Maskati, President of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR), Nabeel Rajab, President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR), and Yousif Almuhafda, who also works for BCHR, from a twitter account (@ADEL_FELAIFEL) allegedly operated by former colonel in the State Security and Intelligence Service, Adil Felaifel. According to Al-Maskati, one tweet, which came from the now deleted account, were directed towards himself and AlMuhafda, and said: “Do not think that because I’m not in the Ministry of Interior, I will shut up about you.”
Another tweet aimed at Maskati and Rajab said: “Maskati and Nabeel Rajab your future death and hell.”
Human rights activists in Bahrain, particularly those active on the popular social media site have endured regular attacks from “trolls” who regularly bombard individuals that send tweets to the Bahrain hashtag. The online attacks, which attempt to fan sectarian differences, are carried out by what activists call “e-thugs”, who are pro-Bahraini government activists as well as accounts believed to be run by government officials.
While twitter attacks have become commonplace for activists, Al Muskati felt that the potential threats from Adil Felaifel, who some believe is one of those responsible for overseeing torture in the 1980s and 1990s, changes the tone of the tweets. He said, “what’s different is that he is an ex-torturer who feels that he can threaten Human Rights Defenders publicly with impunity, knowing that no one will hold him accountable.”
28 Nov 11 | Uncategorized
The jailing of five human rights activists by a United Arab Emirates court Sunday will leave a nasty stain on the state’s elaborate upcoming 40th independence celebrations — unless the country’s ruler reverses the verdicts, annuls the charges and releases the five before the big day on December 2.
A state security court in Abu Dhabi jailed the activists on November 27 for doing no more than adding their voices online to calls seeking greater political openness in the UAE.
No appeal is permitted and a court observer representing a coalition of free speech groups including Index on Censorship found the case to be “riddled with legal and procedural flaws right from the beginning,” to the advantage of the prosecution.
Index on Censorship is urging the UAE authorities to show its commitment to international legal standards, by releasing these men without delay and appointing an independent review of why and how they came to be prosecuted and punitively sentenced on transparently politicised charges.
The five, all members of a now banned pro-reform online forum, Al-Hewar al-Emirati, were arrested in April after signing an online petition demanding political reforms, including a parliament selected by open elections.
The verdict comes days before the Emirate stages a major celebration to mark the UAE’s national day on December 2, after 30 days of exhibitions, light shows and cultural events.
Nasser bin Gaith, a trade and economics expert who has lectured at the Abu Dhabi college of Paris’ Sorbonne University and online rights activists Fahad Salim Dalk, Hassan Ali Al-Khamis and Ahmed Abdul Khaleq were all sentenced to two years each.
Ahmed Mansoor, a human rights activist and blogger was jailed for three years.
Index and the members of the coalition believe the aim is to strangle at birth any ‘Arab Spring’ type reformism or change. “Clearly, the government of United Arab Emirates has been trying to stifle any kind of criticism and pro-reform movement amidst Arab Spring in the region,” said Nabeel Rajab, the director of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights, speaking before the verdict.
Ahmed Mansoor had signed a March 2011 online petition with 132 other Emiratis, calling for direct elections to the advisory body, the Federal National Council, and for it to be turned from an advisory agency into a body with real legislative powers.
Before his arrest, Nasser bin Gaith, had written positively on his blog about the Arab Spring and its impact on economies in the Arab world, pointing out that it can bring bigger transparency, end corruption and bring back Arab professionals to their home countries.
Supported by the IFEX network of free expression groups, the coalition of rights groups called in civil liberties lawyer Jennie Pasquarella of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to monitor the trial process in September and October 2011 and attend the October 2 hearing. Coalition representatives also attended subsequent trial sessions on October 9 and 23.
Pasquarella found that “flagrant due process flaws” essentially denied the five men the right to a fair trial. The defendants have not been able to see all the documents setting out the charges against them and have not — despite repeated requests — had full access to all the evidence against them. They have also not been allowed to hold confidential meetings with their lawyers.
The first four sessions of the trial were held in secret, contravening international standards, with only UAE State Security agents allowed to attend and take notes on the trial. Pasquarella also found that there was no legal basis for the case against the men, saying that the vague laws under which the five were charged do not comply with international and UAE constitutional requirements that allow for freedom of opinion and other expression.
She also criticised the decision to prosecute the case under State Security procedures, which deprives the men of basic due process rights such as the right to appeal.
The government’s aim, she reported before the verdicts, was “to further distort the public’s understanding of this case and to create public confusion about the actual conduct at issue in this case – not state security threats, but rather allegedly insulting statements.”
The seven groups in the coalition are: Al Karama (Dignity), Amnesty International, the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), Frontline Defenders, the Gulf Centre for Human Rights, Human Rights Watch and Index on Censorship.
Some observers have speculated that the activists could receive a presidential pardon as to mark the anniversary. The same day as the five dissidents were jailed, 554 minor criminals were freed, their fines and debts settled by the state as an anniversary gesture.
However the defendants have previously rejected the idea of a pardon and want the charges dropped and the case permanently thrown out.
Rohan Jayasekera is deputy CEO of Index on Censorship
